Memories
by RinaSkitty
Summary: It's the night before Eureka's birthday, and while she peacefully sleeps, Citron ends up remembering the day his mother told him he'd have a little sister. Although he should feel happy, all the memories turn up is sadness. Luckily, Satoshi is there to help him through it. Mild Diodeshipping tones :) mostly comfort fluff


A/N: Okay, I know I said that I would be focusing only on my halloween-fic in October/November, but I got this idea earlier today and had to write it. Not gonna go into detail, but, I can relate to Citron (in this fic), and just needed to write.

It's a oneshot, but if you guys want, I'd be happy to write another version of Satoshi's side of things.

Anyway, here it is :)

* * *

 ** _(Flashback)_**

 _"Citron," a woman smiled at him from over her shoulder, still stiring a large bowl of chocolaty ganache._

 _If sunlight could have a voice, it would have been her's. Her long gold hair was pulled back in a perfectly 'unperfect' plait, trailing down her back and ending in a pale blue ribbon, the delicate bow matching her eyes perfectly. "Come here, baby.."_

 _From around the corner, a tiny boy, perhaps no older than 6, came wondering into the kitchen, his nose shoved in a brightly coloured book. For a moment he paused, holding the text at arm's length. Silently the boy examined it, his round face lighting up happily._

 _"Mama, I can read it!" He grinned proudly, pointing to a picture of a Pichu in the book._

 _"See? I told your papa you just needed glasses." The woman stooped down to her son's level, adjusting her own lenses as they caught the sunlight. "Here, try this." She took the whisk and held it out for him._

 _Excited, the boy stuck his little fingers in the dessert then popped them into his mouth. His face contorting into various funny expressions as though in deep chocolaty contemplation._

 _"C'est bon?"_

 _"hmm.. I think I need a little more." Without hesitation, he reached into the bowl again, pulling out a glob of ganache. His mom watched, quirking an eyebrow and smiling. She already knew his answer, he DID the biggest sweet tooth she'd ever seen._

 _"Comment est-il, Chef?"_

 _"Très bien!" He gave her a thumbs up, watching as she stood once again, placing the bowl on the counter. "What are you making, mama?"_

 _"Profiteroles..tonight's a special night." She wiped her fingers clean on her apron, then untied it and draped it over a nearby chair. "Don't tell your papa yet, but.."_

 _Gently, she took her son's hand, placing it on her stomach._

 _"You're going to have a baby brother or sister."_

 _The little boy's eyes went wide. Quickly, his hesitation faded, his face practically glowing with happiness as he threw his arms around his mother._

 _"Really?!" He smiled. Finally, someone to play with, someone he could share all his cool inventions with, imagine the possibilities!_

 _"Yes." She ruffled his hair, twirling the akward strand that refused to stay put on his head. "You're going to be a big brother, Citron."_

* * *

 ** _(Present)_**

He remembered it clear as day. Now, nearly 8 years later, the boy sat silently, watching as his little sister slept peacefully.

"Eureka.." he whispered, lightly bringing the covers over her shoulders.

She didn't know what happened, and in all honesty, Citron wasn't sure if he'd ever be ready to tell her. Eureka didn't know that those nine months had wreaked havoc on their mother.

How many times had he gone with her to the doctor? He could recall waiting for her as she was examined, hanging his legs off the side of a chair and reading text book after text book. He remembered Denryu (when she was still a Makoko), babysittting him and sparking his interest in electric Pokemon as a result.

At the time he didn't understand, but the further along she got in her pregnancy, it more obvious it was that something wasn't right.

How could Citron ever tell his sister that _she_ was the reason their mom had passed?

It wasn't her fault. And he'd be damned if she was ever told otherwise. Their father had told him that a similar sequence of events happened before he was born too. That the doctors warned her that having another child could potentially be dangerous..

But she was a loving woman. Truely the sort of person who took pure joy in being a parent.

Before she had passed, he had promised his mother that he'd take care Eureka, and he was determined to keep that promise.

"Citron?" he heard a small voice from behind him, Serena had returned to the girls' room from speaking with Nurse Joy. For a moment, the boy didn't move, keeping his pale eyes on his sister. "It's nearly midnight, Satoshi already went to your guys' room.."

"..Tomorrow's her birthday." The blond said quietly. Gently, he reached a hand out, stroking the little girl's hair. His expression softened, more so resembling a parent rather than a brother. "She'll be seven."

The older girl had a breif look of confusion, but quickly understood.

"We'll make sure she has the best birthday ever." The performer smiled sweetly. "Nurse Joy's taking care of the cake for us. And we all have our gifts for her."

"Yeah." Citron rose from his seat. It was getting really late, and goodness knows that Eureka would be a ball of pure energy in the morning.

She'll be running around the centre in the new dress Serena had made her. She'll make fun of him when his invention (the "Happy-Birthday-Eureka-Auto-Singing-Dancing-Andothercoolthings-Machine") eventually exploded. Then she'll challange Satoshi to a battle, her eyes sharing the same spark of excitement he always had when a challanger approached.

 _If only mama was still here.. She absolutely adored you.._

"Thank you, Serena.." he mumbled, quickly leaving the room as he tried to fight back tears. Although most of his memories were pleasent, the cold sadness of the last few months he had with his mother refused to go away.

 _I miss you.. I really do.._

The hall echoed with heavy footsteps, slowly picking up into a run. He wanted to run away from the ache, he wanted to get as far as possible from those memories. But he couldn't, because they were part of what made him who he was. He had learned so much from his mother. Between his two parents, she was always the one he could relate to the most. She was kind, polite, not to mention incredibly smart. And those seven years he had with her before she passed were some of the best of his life. Only one other person since then had ever made him feel so important, so loved..

The moment he closed the bedroom door, he locked it, sank to the ground and pulled his knees into his chest.

"Citron?" Satoshi peered out from the room's small attached bathroom, towel hanging around his neck. His bright amber eyes widened, seeing his friend crying quietly against the wall. Without wasting a second, he rushed to the boy's side, extending his arm and bringing him close. "Citron, what's wrong?"

The blond leaned his head against the trainer's chest, taking a little comfort in his warmth. He pressed his face into him, not saying a word. With Satoshi he felt safe. He knew he wouldn't be judged. He knew that he didn't have to hide his emotions. So the trainer let him cry, supporting him just be being there.

"Pi-pika." From across the room, Pikachu came bounding over, sharing his trainer's concern for the inventor. The electric mouse hoped into his lap, leaning over to gently nuzzle Citron's face. After a few more minutes, it felt like the blond was beginning to settle down.

"Here," Satoshi gently propped Citron up for a moment, removing his glasses to dry the other boy's cheeks. He returned the frames to his friend's face, smiling rather bashfully. "That's better.. you're cuter this way.."

"You thi-" Citron blushed, stopping himself midsentence. Being called 'cute' was sort of embarassing, but still, it was a sweet gesture. "Thank you.."

"No problem." For a moment, the Kanto boy watched his friend, his brain seemingly decoding the blond's emotions without speaking a single word. "It's you're mom again.. isn't it?.."

"How did you know?.." Citron plopped his head back on Satoshi's chest, feeling calmer now than when he first returned to their room. A while ago, around their gym match, they had gotten closer emotionally. Thus, they had opened up to each other more, now knowing one another's histories down to every last detail.

"You get a certain look in your eyes when you've been thinking about her." Satoshi leaned back on the inventor, still holding him close.

"Papa always says I'm the spitting image of her." Citron said with a small laugh, remembering his father's doofy way of giving complements.

"Kinda figured. You two don't look anything like your dad.." Satoshi said. "Anyway.. she must have been a wonderful person." Satoshi smiled warmly, ruffling his friend's golden coloured hair. "Look, I know it's hard, but always remember, that no matter how difficult things get, you don't have ta go through life alone. You'll always have us with you. Right, Pikachu?"

"Cha!" The electric mouse chimmed in, climbing into Citron's hair like he always did to Satoshi's.

"Thank you."

"Come on, it's gettin' kinda late. We're goin' to need all the energy we can get for tomorrow." Satoshi stood, helping his friend up before running across the room to hop into one of the beds.

"Wanna share?" The trainer flopped around in the sheets like a Magikarp. With one arm he held up a blanket, inviting him in. His face broke out into a toothy grin, tinting his cheeks a peachy pink. "I like sleepin' close to you."

"S-sure.." Shyly, the inventor followed, making himself comfortable beside his friend. Pikachu joined in, taking a spot on top of Satoshi's chest.

"Comfy?" The trainer brought an arm beneathe Citron's head. Over time they had become accustomed to sleeping like this (atleast while staying in PokeCentres where the girls couldn't walk in on them). Something about it just felt right.

"Yes.. Good night." The blond nuzzled against the other boy's chest, happy that he'd found someone who truely understood him.

As long as he had Satoshi by his side, then perhaps everything really would be okay.

* * *

Thanks for reading guys!


End file.
